


Stuck On You

by Holtzmannsgirlfriend



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 12:03:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14852396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holtzmannsgirlfriend/pseuds/Holtzmannsgirlfriend
Summary: Holtzmann gets carried away during a dance number and handcuffs herself to Erin. And, of course, she can't find the key.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this back in February, forgot about it, started writing it again in April, forgot about it again, and finally finished most of it yesterday. I feel like I've been working on it forever so I hope you guys like it :D
> 
> Also: The song Holtz is listening to is Hey by The Pixies

Constantly anxious would be a good way to describe Erin Gilbert. If she isn't worrying, she isn't conscious and that's the way it's been for as long as she can remember. Even now, at 8:30 in the morning, she's sitting at her desk sipping coffee and worrying.

She's worried about the crack in the corner of the ceiling in her living room because of course it's going to spread, of course the roof will cave in, and of course she'll be smashed to death by her upstairs neighbor's furniture. And she's worried about the environment and the ozone layer, because she's never been fond of the heat or, you know, the human race going extinct. She's still very worried about the awkward conversation she had with a subway attendant over two years ago. But she's not worried about any of that this morning.

No, this morning she's worried about what the butterflies in her stomach and the flutter in her chest means. She's worried about why she only feels them when she's around Holtzmann. She's worried about why she can't just accept what she already knows...that she likes Holtzmann.

And sometimes she thinks it's reciprocated, that Holtzmann likes her just as much, but then that little voice of self-doubt crawls into her ear.

_Why would she like you?_

_She could have any woman in the world, Erin._

She wants to believe that Holtzmann's flirting and winks mean something but the voice won't let her. So she spends her time pining for the engineer and feeling terrible because what else is she going to do? Take a risk? Ha!

Her train of thought is interrupted by the slam of a door downstairs, followed by what sounds like tap dancing and the laughter of Abby and Patty.

Holtzmann's footsteps--Erin has them memorized--sound from the stairs and the physicist quickly sits down her mug of coffee and buries her face in an academic journal, making a painful effort to seem relaxed, before the engineer struts into the lab they share.

She watches Holtzmann enter the lab from the corner of her eye and then scolds herself.

_This is not normal behavior, Erin._

"Hey, Er, check it out," Holtz says, dangling a pair of handcuffs from one finger. She struts over to the physicist's desk and grins as she spins the cuffs around her index finger.  
Erin glances up from the journal and immediately feels her cheeks grow warm as she spots the handcuffs. She opens the top drawer of her desk and rummages through it for something, anything, to busy her hands. She settles on a paperclip and watches her hands straighten the metal as she talks.

"Oh, uh...neat? I guess? Where did you get those?"

Erin glances up from the paperclip and watches as Holtz turns and walks the short distance to her workbench, shedding her jacket in the process. "Some guy was selling them on the corner down the street. Only cost me $6 and they came with a key and everything!" She looks back to Erin and grins maniacally as she spins the handcuffs around her finger again and tosses them onto her workbench.

Erin nods slowly as she, ironically, straightens the paper clip again.

She allows herself to make eye contact with the engineer, worried that a lack of it would clue the engineer in on the storm of butterflies currently wrecking havoc on her stomach, and is greeted with a wink. Her cheeks flush and she quickly drops her eyes back to her hands.

"Uh huh. And did he...obtain them legally?" Erin finally mutters.

Holtz just shrugs and picks up a blowtorch as she turns on her boombox, apparently not noticing the redness in the physicist's face. She pulls her goggles down over her eyes and laughs. "Who knows? Who cares? They're mine now." She punctuates her sentence with another wink before going to work on a broken proton pack.

With the engineer distracted, Erin looks up from her hands. Holtzmann is already hard at work, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration as she pries off a faraday cage with her favorite screwdriver. She stares at Holtzmann's hands and imagines scenarios involving those handcuffs that she would never willingly admit to having.

But, oh boy, she wanted to admit them. She wanted to shout it from the roof of the firehouse, let the entire city know just exactly how intense her feelings were for the engineer. But she was scared. So scared that she was willing to let that fear steal away any opportunity she may have with Holtzmann.

Her life was finally back to normal. Well...as close to normal as it would ever be.

She finally had the career of her dreams, one that put teaching at Columbia to shame. And she had a family, a real, loving family for the first time in her life. Even if she had the courage to confront her feelings for the engineer and do something about them, that doesn't mean that Holtzmann feels the same way. Erin could be humiliated. She could lose one of the best friends she's ever had. She could lose her family.

It was just a crush. She'd get over it eventually. She hoped.

This crush was different from all the other crushes she had in her life. Unlike the others, this crush was growing stronger instead of fading away. Part of her wasn't entirely sure it was _just_ a crush anymore. Her feelings for the engineer were now beginning to complicate her life and interfere with her work. 

Like how, for instance, she spent the first two hours of her time at the firehouse this morning thinking about Holtzmann and how she's now staring intently at the engineer's fingers as she rewires the proton pack.

_This is definitely not normal behavior, Erin._

Before she can rationalize her actions to herself, her vision of the engineer is blocked by Abby's face. Erin jumps.

"Hello? Earth to Erin? I've said your name like 50 times!"

"Sorry, Abby," She clears her throat and straightens the collar of her dress shirt. "Um...what do you need?"

Abby asks to borrow a new issue of a physics journal and Erin obliges, digging through a drawer of her desk until she finds it and hands it over to her friend. Abby thanks her and, instead of going downstairs, rests on the edge of Erin's desk.

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick or something? Your face is all blotchy," Abby says, pressing the back of her hand to Erin's forehead.

Erin rolls her eyes and closes her desk drawer with a sigh, pulling away from Abby's hand.

"I'm fine, Abby."

"Whatever you say, spot." She leans into Erin's desk and chuckles quietly at her own joke.

Erin shrugs and leans back in her chair, slowly spinning herself side to side. She quickly glances over at Holtzmann to see her still absorbed in the proton pack. Abby studies Erin's face, looking for the lie. The attention makes her face heat up.

"It's just really warm up here," Erin mutters, Abby's gaze making her self-conscious. "Maybe I'll open a window or something."

"Yes, I'm sure that'll help," Abby responds. She looks over to Holtzmann and then back to Erin with a small grin on her face and crosses her arms in front of herself.

A pang of anxiety shoots through Erin's chest just then because Abby _knows_. Of course she knows. Abby knows everything, always has and always will.

She's not as anxious as she should be though, because a part of her is relieved. She'd wanted to talk to Abby about it in the first place because Abby always knows what to do. The day the realization hit her she had fully intended to call Abby and beg for her advice, but the fear stopped her.

She always used to tell Abby everything, but Erin wasn't so sure if that was okay anymore. Afterall, a lot of things had changed in the 10 years they went without speaking. And while they had mostly patched up their friendship and were nearly as close as they used to be, Erin didn't want to just assume she could still run to Abby to help her with any little problem she encountered.

But if anyone could tell Erin whether or not she had a shot with Holtz, it would be Abby. Which is all well and good if she does have a chance, but what if she doesn't? What if Holtz has no interest in her at all? What then? All the worrying back and forth was making her sick to her stomach.

Erin begins to rings her hands. A telltale sign, Abby knew, that meant Erin was nervous.

Holtzmann finally pops her head up from her work and looks at Erin, one eyebrow raised, and pushes her goggles up onto her forehead.

"I definitely wouldn't open any windows up here, Dr. Hot Stuff," Holtzmann says with a wink, interrupting the awkward silence. "About 90% of this equipment could easily explode at the slightest change in temperature. It's toasty up here for a reason." Another wink.

Erin's face grows warm and changes color almost instantly, but she's not sure if it's from the wink or finding out that her workspace is even more dangerous than she had previously assumed.

Holtzmann grins at the physicist before pushing her goggles back down and going back to work on the proton pack.

"Well we can't have that," Abby says, putting a hand on Erin's shoulder as she slides off the desk and to her feet. "Maybe you should come downstairs with me for a while. Give yourself a chance to cool off." She gives Erin a look that implies she'd better accept the offer.

Erin swallows nervously but accepts the offer anyway. It's not like she really has a choice, Abby would find a way to get her downstairs regardless.

\---------- 

Once they're downstairs and out of earshot from the lab, Abby pulls Erin aside.

"Hey, Er? You wanna tell me what the fuck is wrong with you?"

She already knew the answer, she wasn't an idiot.

She figured it out about a month ago when, for the 900th time, she caught Erin watching Holtzmann work with that dreamy expression on her face and a small smile pulling her lips upward.

Erin never mentioned an attraction to girls to Abby when they were younger, so Abby never questioned it. She figured Erin was straight and that was that. And that was why, when Holtzmann had asked Abby if she should ask Erin out, Abby said no. Because why would she tell Holtzmann to ask out a straight woman?

But over the last few months, Abby had begun to wonder just how much Erin had changed in the 10 years they went without speaking. The way Erin lights up when Holtzmann flirts with her, how flustered she gets when Holtzmann stands behind her in the Alley and teaches her how to use new weapons, how Erin goes out of her way to make sure the engineer eats and sleeps and takes care of herself. That wasn't the way friends act toward each other.

It was so obvious. Abby was actually kind of pissed at herself for not figuring it out sooner.

Erin rings her hands and avoids eye contact. She starts scanning the walls like she's looking for fingerprints.

"I don't...nothing is wrong. What do you mean?" She says as she examines a corner of the ceiling.

"Yeah, okay," Abby rolls her eyes. "I totally believe that."

Erin sighs and walks over to her friend's desk, sitting on the edge. Abby follows and plops down in her desk chair. She leans back and waits for Erin to speak. Erin bounces her leg nervously and takes a deep breath.

"I think I'm in love with Holtzmann." She quickly closes her eyes and brings her thumb to her mouth, carefully chewing on the nail.

"Yeah, I think you are too."

The physicist's eyes pop open in surprise. "You do?"

Abby laughs and tosses the pencil she was playing with absentmindedly down onto her desk.

"Come on, Erin! You spend around 90% of the day drooling over her, and when you're not drooling over her, you're talking to me about how brilliant she is." She reaches an arm across her desk and pats the back of Erin's hand, prompting Erin to look at her.

"At first I thought it was just a crush; Holtzmann has that effect on people, women especially. But then it never went away. In fact, it got worse! I've never seen a grown woman pine as hard as you guys pine for each other. It's actually really ridiculous."

"Wait...for each other? Do you think Holtz likes me?"

Abby throws her head back with a groan. "Oh, Jesus...Patty!"

The historian pops her head around the corner, mumbling about the book she's in the middle of reading.

"Patty, do you think Holtz likes Erin?"

Patty looks back and forth between the two women before bursting out laughing.

"Is that a serious question? Of course she does! She's crazy about you, Gilbert!"

The historian chuckles again and points to Erin, shaking her head at Abby before turning and walking out of the room. Abby points to where Patty was standing and gives Erin a need I say more expression.

Erin looks anywhere but at Abby, the silence in the room making her uncomfortable.

Holtzmann likes her?  
No.  
There's no way.  
Or is there?

She didn't know what to think and it made her nauseous.

Seeing the conflicted look on her friend's face and sensing her impending panic, Abby stands and walks around her desk to sit next to Erin.

"Just talk to her, Er. She likes you, I promise."

Erin exhales slowly.

"I just...god, Abby, I have no idea what to say." She rubs a hand down her face. "I've never liked anyone this much, I don't want to mess it up."

Abby wraps an arm around Erin's shoulders.

"You're not gonna mess anything up. She's just as invested in this as you are, Erin. I promise. You just have to take the risk!"

Abby pulls her friend into a tight hug. Erin hugs back and sighs over Abby's shoulder.

"I really hope you're right, Abby."

\----------

After refilling her coffee cup and slowing her heart rate to a normal speed, Erin walks back upstairs to the lab she shares with Holtzmann only to find the engineer in the middle of a highly energetic dance number.

The blonde is spinning and gyrating wildly around the room, a lit blowtorch held above her head, singing loudly along to the song. The song changes into a slower number as she spots Erin and her face splits into a massive grin.

 _Hey_  
_Been trying to meet you_

Erin chuckles nervously and begins the walk toward her desk from the doorway, hoping that Holtzmann would take the hint and not attempt to involve her in today's dance number.

But she did, of course.

_Must be a devil between us_

The engineer wiggles her hips as she walks across the room, capturing Erin in an invisible lasso and using to pull herself closer to the brunette. Despite the butterflies in her stomach, Erin can't help but laugh at the sight.

 _But where have you been?_  
_If you go, I will surely die_

Holtzmann grabs the physicist by her wrists and spins her across the room to her workbench. With a devilish grin, she grabs the handcuffs and secures one cuff to her own wrist.  
Erin, caught up in the moment, only giggles until she feels cool metal close against her wrist.

_We're chained_

"Holtzmann!" Erin says breathlessly, toying at the cuff with her free hand.

Holtzmann laughs. "Sorry, I guess I got lost in the song. Being cuffed to you is kinda nice though, Gilbert." The engineer winks and bumps Erin's hip with her own.

"Ha ha, Holtz. Now come on, take them off." She sticks her cuffed wrist out in the engineer's direction.

The engineer laughs again and sticks her free hand into the front pocket of her pants.

"Alriiiight. I have the key right he--"

She stops mid-sentence, eyes wide, frantically patting her pockets.

"...what?"

The blonde looks down at her feet and brings her free hand up to pull at her ear, her nervous habit.

"Okay so...the key is no longer in my pocket."

"WHAT?!"


	2. Chapter 2

After she checks Holtzmann's pockets herself (and ignores the engineer's many jokes about getting into her pants) Erin calls Abby and Patty upstairs and they laugh so hard they have to sit down.

"If this ain't some of the most ironic shit I've ever seen..." Patty says, using one hand to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Abby takes deep breaths and fans her face in an attempt to contain her laughter. "Okay," she laughs again. "Holtz, where was the last place you had the key?"

"I...don't remember."

Erin groans in frustration and buries her face in her hands, unintentionally pulling the engineer into her as she does so. Holtz winces and steps away, a guilty look on her face.

Abby walks over to Erin and Holtzmann to examine the handcuffs. She brings their hands closer to her face and squints as she examines the keyhole.

"You know, it's probably not too hard to pick these. I mean, remember The Silence of the Lambs? Anyone got a paperclip?"

Erin jumps up and all but runs across the room to her desk, Holtzmann dragging behind her. She grabs the maimed paperclip she used to distract herself during her conversation with the engineer earlier that morning.

After instructing the two to put their hands on Holtzmann's workbench and making a few bad jokes, Abby goes back to examining the cuffs, trying to determine exactly how to pick the lock.

"Okay, here goes nothing," she says, jamming the straightened paperclip into the lock.

Erin watches Abby intently and holds her breath. Holtzmann watches Erin.

It's not that she meant to handcuff herself to Erin...well, maybe she did. But she didn't mean to lose the key, and she certainly didn't mean to upset Erin. That was the last thing Holtzmann ever wanted to do. She hates it when Erin isn't happy and smiling because Erin deserves to always be happy and smiling.

She knew Erin wasn't interested in her, she had accepted that for the most part. But the song was so romantic and Erin looked so pretty that she got lost in the moment and it just happened. And if she's being honest, she really doesn't regret it because being handcuffed to Erin has been the best 20 minutes of her life.

After toying with the cuffs for a total of 5 minutes, Abby gives up. She sighs and throws the paperclip on Holtzmann's workbench.

"This isn't working, guys."

Erin sighs and slumps back in the chair, knocking the engineer slightly off balance and forcing her to almost fall into the brunette's lap. Erin mutters a quick apology and goes back to sulking.

The blonde straightens up quickly and strokes an imaginary beard, her face contorted in thought.

"What about a bobby pin? I have lots of those!"

Abby shakes her head. "If I can't do it with a paperclip then I sure as hell can't make it work with a bobby pin, Holtz. I'm sure there's a way, but I don't think any of us can do it."

She leans over the workbench and examines the handcuffs again, pulling away with a huff after a few seconds.

"We're just gonna have to keep looking for the key. If we don't find it then...I guess y'all are stuck this way forever," Patty says. She and Abby chuckle while Erin groans.

"Ha ha, very funny," she frowns. "What are we supposed to do?"

Abby shrugs and opens her mouth to reply, stopping short when Kevin pop's his head through the door.

"Bosses? There is a goat in a library in Queens?" he smiles. He looks over to Holtzmann and Erin and smiles at the handcuffs connecting the two.  
"Nice bracelets! A police officer gave me bracelets like that once! I didn't get to keep them though." He shakes his head sadly and leaves the room, the women share a look before resuming their conversation.

"How are we supposed to go on a bust when we're handcuffed to each other?"

Holtzmann shrugs and attempts to put her arm around Erin's shoulder, stopping short when she realizes that would be a bad idea with the cuffs. She sits down on the floor next to Erin's chair and nonchalantly rests her hand on the physicist's thigh instead. Erin's heart speeds up at the touch.

"We could manage. It's not exactly easy, but you can totally fire a proton pack one-handed. I've done it!" She punctuates her sentence with a wink and pats Erin's knee. Erin rolls her eyes.

"Yes, baby, you did. And I very vividly remember you setting the alley on fire." Patty retorts, a hand on her hip. Holtzmann only shrugs and grins.

"Obviously you guys will have to stay here. It's only one ghost, Patty and I can handle it."

Erin and Holtz nod in agreement as Patty and Abby make their way out of the lab. Abby turns.

"In the meantime, Holtz, try to remember where you last had the key, okay?"

Holtzmann salutes her with a toothy grin and strokes an imaginary beard once again. Erin rolls her eyes with a sigh. This was not how she wanted to spend her Friday.

\----------

Erin was searching the floor of the lab for the third time, dragging Holtzmann behind her. Every few minutes the engineer would bite into a Pringle before muttering "I don't think it's up here, Gilbert."

Erin rolls her eyes and continues examining every square foot of the floor until, eventually, she gets fed up with the blonde's lack of attention to their situation. She finally snaps.

"Well at least I'm making an effort! At least I'm _trying_ to get us out of this situation!"

Holtzmann scoffs and puts her free hand over her heart in mock offense.

"I'll have you know, Dr. Gilbert, that I've spent this entire time attempting to remember where I was the last time I felt the key in my pocket!"

She manages to hold a look of seriousness on her face for a few moments before it's involuntarily taken over with a grin. She bites into another Pringle and offers the can to Erin. Erin rolls her eyes and pushes the can away.

"Wow, Holtz, thanks so much for all your hard work."

"You're welcome, hot stuff," the engineer replies with a bright grin.

"I was being sarcastic! You've put no effort into getting us out of this situation at all!"

Holtzmann shrugs. "I don't mind being cuffed to you, Gilbert. We could be in worse situations right now."

"Yeah, well you're the last person in the world I'd want to be handcuffed to right now."

She hadn't meant it in spite, but she regrets it before she's even finished her sentence. Even more so when she sees the look of obvious hurt flash across the blonde's face. She tries to apologize but Holtzmann cuts her off.

"I'm really sorry, Erin," she says in a tiny voice, pulling her ear. "Maybe when Abby and Patty get back they can take us to a locksmith."

The engineer's head is bowed, staring at the floor. She looks so much smaller than usual and Erin feels horrible.

"Holtz, I didn't mean it like that. I just..." she trails off, biting her lip and looking to the floor.

Holtzmann looks up at her curiously. Erin takes a deep breath.

_Now or never, Gilbert_

"You...make me...feel things. A lot of things. Things that I'm not used to feeling for anyone."

Holtzmann tilts her head, the corners of her mouth turning upward into a smile and eventually breaking into a devilish grin.

"... _things_? What kind of _things_ do I make you feel, Erin?"

The physicist blushes, running a hand through her hair and turning her head the other direction.

"Holtz..."

The engineer turns in her chair, propping her chin in one hand, a massive smile on her face.

"Please, elaborate, Dr. Hot Stuff. I'm so curious about these _things_."

Holtzmann chuckles and bumps Erin's shoulder with her own. She runs a finger down the length of Erin's arm and Erin exhales shakily. She laughs softly, taking another deep breath before she continues.

"Good things. Wonderful things, really. I can't look at you without getting butterflies in my stomach, and it's like I can physically feel my heart squeeze every time I see you smile...and I'm not entirely sure that's normal or healthy...", she trails off, a soft smile on her face.

Holtzmann brings her free hand up to cup Erin's cheek, biting her lip.

"You make me feel like I have a sunrise in my chest."

Erin laughs. "A sunrise?"

"Yes, a sunrise," Holtzmann smiles. "Every time I see you I feel warm and bright and happy, just like a sunrise. Except it happens way more than once a day."

Erin smiles and leans into Holtzmann's palm. Holtzmann leans forward, glancing at the physicist's lips in a silent ploy for permission.

Erin smiles and nods once, tilting her head and closing her eyes.

After what feels like an eternity their lips finally touch. It was softer than Erin had imagined, but also far more intense than she knew was possible for a kiss. A warmth took over her as Holtzmann deepened the kiss, her tongue sweeping across the physicist's bottom lip, and she completely lost herself in the feel of the engineer.

\----------

Abby and Patty returned to the firehouse, the bust having been quicker than expected. They each grab their proton pack from the back of the Ecto and walk them over to their designated spot on one of the garage walls, still laughing over Erin and Holtzmann.

"Holtzy literally handcuffed herself to Erin and that girl still can't take the hint," Patty said with a shake of her head. Abby chuckles and sighs.

"Maybe this will open her eyes. I doubt it, but maybe..." Abby trails off as they walk into the reception area of the firehouse.

The light hits something on the floor and catches Abby's eye. She bends over and picks it up, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. She holds the key up as she walks back over to Patty.

"Really, Holtzmann?"

She and Patty share exasperated laughs.

"Alright, let's go uncuff these idiots and order lunch."

Patty nods her head.

"Holtzy's paying."

"Damn right she is," Abby agrees, making her way to the staircase.

\----------

Maybe if they didn't have their hands tangled in each other's hair or their tongues running along the inside of each other's mouths they would've heard Patty and Abby walking up the stairs to the lab. But that wasn't the case.

When Abby and Patty finally make their way up the stairs, the first thing they see is Holtzmann sitting in Erin's desk chair and Erin straddling her lap with both hands in the engineer's hair, kissing passionately. They exchange a look and Abby mouths finally.

While they were happy to see that their friends had finally gotten their shit together, the soft moans and smacking noises were nauseating and they couldn't let it continue. Abby clears her throat. When that has no effect, Patty rolls her eyes and speaks up.

"Aye, I'm happy y'all finally figured out that you're crazy for each other, but we don't wanna see this shit."

At the sound of Patty's voice, Erin jumps, quickly pulling her hand out of the engineer's hair. A move that sends both of them toppling to the floor.

Abby and Patty burst into laughter, holding onto each other for support to stay upright as Erin and Holtzmann quickly shuffle to stand up again.

Erin clears her throat and straightens her hair with her cuffed hand, pulling Holtzmann's arm along with it, embarrassment leaving her face different shades of red.

Holtzmann, a dazed and dreamy look on her face, only grins at the two.

Abby dangles the key from her fingers. "Guess what I found on the floor in the lobby?"

Erin sighs in relief as Holtz claps her hands together.

"Good job, Abs! Making out is gonna be so much easier with two hands," she wags her eyebrows at Erin. "I knew it had to be around here somewhere."

Erin giggles. Holtzmann smiles brightly at her.

Abby walks over to the two and unlocks Erin's cuff, then Holtzmann's, each of them taking time to rub the sore, indented skin on their wrists. Holtzmann holds her bare wrist in front of her face and frowns.

"Aw, now I'm sad."

Erin raises an eyebrow. "What? Why would this make you sad?"

"Because I really enjoyed being cuffed to you, hot stuff."

The engineer smiles brightly and winks, and Erin blushes prettily before pulling Holtzmann in for a sloppy kiss by the collar of her shirt, completely ignoring the gagging noises from their friends.

**Author's Note:**

> I should have part two up in a few days! Thanks for reading <3


End file.
